Press Releases

House Passes Legislation to Extend Benefits to Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans

Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs released the following statement after the House passed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018.

“I applaud the House’s passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act,” said Roe. “This bill is critical to our nation’s Blue Water Navy veterans, as it ensures they receive benefits for any condition they may have developed as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. This bill has been years in the making, and I am grateful for Rep. Valadao’s leadership on this issue. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this bill to President Trump’s desk and finally provide Blue Water Navy veterans with the benefits they deserve.”

Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), who introduced the bill, also issued a statement on the bill’s passage.

"Every day veterans call my office asking when this law will be corrected, and I grateful to tell them we are one massive step closer to ensuring they receive the medical treatment they deserve," said Valadao. "I look forward to working with the Senate so that our veterans, who have given our nation so much, receive the health care they have earned."

Background:

Agent Orange is a herbicide used during the Vietnam era that has been known to be associated with certain health issues in people who have been exposed to the chemical. The Agent Orange Act of 1991 said that if a veteran served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 and has a disease that has been associated with exposure to Agent Orange, they are automatically presumed to have a been exposed to it and therefore qualify for disability compensation. The Blue Water Navy Veterans Act of 2018 would extend the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange to veterans who served in the Blue Water Navy. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.